| 1. |
- Salzer, Jonatan, et al.
(författare)
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Rituximab in multiple sclerosis : a retrospective observational study on safety and efficacy
- 2016
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Ingår i: Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 87:20, s. 2074-2081
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of rituximab in multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: In this retrospective uncontrolled observational multicenter study, off-label rituximab-treated patients with MS were identified through the Swedish MS register. Outcome data were collected from the MS register and medical charts. Adverse events (AEs) grades 2-5 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events were recorded. Results: A total of 822 rituximab-treated patients with MS were identified: 557 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 198 secondary progressive MS (SPMS), and 67 primary progressive MS (PPMS). At baseline, 26.2% had contrast-enhancing lesions (CELs). Patients were treated with 500 or 1,000 mg rituximab IV every 6-12 months, during a mean 21.8 (SD 14.3) months. During treatment, the annualized relapse rates were 0.044 (RRMS), 0.038 (SPMS), and 0.015 (PPMS), and 4.6% of patients displayed CELs. Median Expanded Disability Status Scale remained unchanged in RRMS (p = 0.42) and increased by 0.5 and 1.0 in SPMS and PPMS, respectively (p = 0.10 and 0.25). Infusion-related AEs occurred during 7.8% of infusions and most were mild. A total of 89 AEs grades >= 2 (of which 76 infections) were recorded in 72 patients. No case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy was detected. Conclusions: This is the largest cohort of patients with MS treated with rituximab reported so far. The safety, clinical, and MRI findings in this heterogeneous real-world cohort treated with different doses of rituximab were similar to those reported in previous randomized controlled trials on B-cell depletion therapy in MS. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with MS, rituximab is safe and effective.
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| 2. |
- Alping, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Cancer Risk for Fingolimod, Natalizumab, and Rituximab in Multiple Sclerosis Patients
- 2020
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Ingår i: Annals of Neurology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0364-5134 .- 1531-8249. ; 87:5, s. 688-699
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Novel, highly effective disease-modifying therapies have revolutionized multiple sclerosis (MS) care. However, evidence from large comparative studies on important safety outcomes, such as cancer, is still lacking.METHODS: In this nationwide register-based cohort study, we linked data from the Swedish MS register to the Swedish Cancer Register and other national health care and census registers. We included 4,187 first-ever initiations of rituximab, 1,620 of fingolimod, and 1,670 of natalizumab in 6,136 MS patients matched for age, sex, and location to 37,801 non-MS general population subjects. Primary outcome was time to first invasive cancer.RESULTS: We identified 78 invasive cancers among treated patients: rituximab 33 (incidence rate [IR] per 10,000 person-years = 34.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 23.7-48.3), fingolimod 28 (IR = 44.0, 95% CI = 29.2-63.5), and natalizumab 17 (IR = 26.0, 95% CI = 15.1-41.6). The general population IR was 31.0 (95% CI = 27.8-34.4). Adjusting for baseline characteristics, we found no difference in risk of invasive cancer between rituximab, natalizumab, and the general population but a possibly higher risk with fingolimod compared to the general population (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.53, 95% CI = 0.98-2.38) and rituximab (HR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.00-2.84).INTERPRETATION: In this first large comparative study of 3 highly effective MS disease-modifying therapies, no increased risk of invasive cancer was seen with rituximab and natalizumab, compared to the general population. However, there was a borderline-significant increased risk with fingolimod, compared to both the general population and rituximab. It was not possible to attribute this increased risk to any specific type of cancer, and further studies are warranted to validate these findings.
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| 3. |
- Alping, Peter
(författare)
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Pharmacoepidemiological studies of rituximab and other recent therapies in multiple sclerosis
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system, characterized by the accumulation of demyelinating inflammatory lesions. Milder cases exist, but most patients eventually develop severe neurological symptoms and disability. However, this dire prognosis is likely to change with the increasing availability of modern, highly effective disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). The rapid development of new therapies for MS has resulted in a quickly changing treatment landscape. Recently, the use of off-label rituximab has become the most used DMT for MS in Sweden. In addition to the purely pharmacological therapies, autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) has emerged as an option for patients with severe disease. The aim of this PhD project was to investigate risk-benefit aspects of DMTs for MS with a special focus on rituximab. Study I was a cohort study comparing the effectiveness of rituximab and fingolimod in patients switching from natalizumab due to JC-virus positivity. In 256 patients, fewer relapses and contrast-enhancing lesions were observed in the rituximab group, within the first 1.5 years of the therapy switch. The rituximab group also reported fewer adverse events and better drug survival, compared with fingolimod. Rituximab appears to be the superior choice in this patient population and likely for highly active MS in general. Study II was a validation of the Swedish MS Register, the main data source for MS research in Sweden. Among 3012 patients, data on treatment and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was reasonably complete. Observations of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) were often missing or incomplete, but could partly be recovered from the medical records. Missingness varied by MS clinic and treatment. The proportion of missing was higher for the older injectable therapies, compared with newer DMTs, which has implications for comparative studies. Study III was a cohort study assessing cancer risk in patients treated with rituximab, natalizumab, or fingolimod. Among 7477 therapy starts, we identified 78 cancers. After controlling for possible confounding, we found an increased risk of cancer for the fingolimod group, compared with both the rituximab group and the general population. It was not possible to assess if any specific type of cancer was driving this difference. No increased risk was found for rituximab or natalizumab, compared with the general population. These findings were in line with previous studies of rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis, but interestingly with a lower risk of breast cancer on rituximab than in the trial programme for ocrelizumab. Study IV was a cohort study assessing safety outcomes for patients treated with the induction therapies AHSCT or alemtuzumab. Among 271 patients, one death occurred in the AHSCT group and four deaths occurred in the alemtuzumab group. The mortality rate for AHSCT was lower in our study than in most previous reports. AHSCT was associated with an increased risk of infection that diminished a few months after treatment. The incidence of thyroid disease with alemtuzumab was higher in our study than previously reported in clinical trials, but in line with other observational data. The rate of starting a new therapy was lower with both AHSCT and alemtuzumab, compared with conventional MS therapies. Study V was a cohort study assessing cost-effectiveness for patients treated with rituximab, natalizumab, fingolimod, or dimethyl fumarate. Among 5924 therapy starts, rituximab was superior to the other therapies, resulting in both lower overall healthcare costs and fewer relapses. Mean cost savings per patient over five years were €34 000–€66 000 and mean number of prevented relapses 0.12–0.21, which translates to total cost savings of €307 000 000 and 1063 prevented relapses, over five years. The cost savings and lower number of relapses with rituximab were possible without any increase in other individual healthcare costs, such as prescription drugs, specialized outpatient visits, or inpatient care. In summary, the data in the Swedish MS Register was of generally good quality, especially for data relating to therapy use, making the register a good resource for pharmacoepidemiologic studies. We found that AHSCT is an effective and safe inductiontype treatment for MS, with treatment-related mortality similar to other DMTs. However, there was an increased risk of infection around the time of treatment and a more longlasting risk of autoimmune thyroid disease. We found rituximab to be a cost-effective, safe, and well tolerated treatment for MS, resulting in fewer clinical relapses, fewer contrast-enhancing lesions on MRI, better drug survival, and no increased risk of cancer. Rituximab should be considered as an alternative first-line therapy for most MS patients with active, non-progressive disease. AHSCT should be considered for younger patients without severe disabilities, with clinical worsening and inflammatory signs not adequately controlled by regular therapies. Rituximab also appears to be the most attractive treatment option for MS patients in low-resource settings, where MS-approved alternatives are might be unavailable due to their high costs.
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| 4. |
- Alping, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Safety of Alemtuzumab and Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Compared to Noninduction Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis
- 2021
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Ingår i: Neurology. - : Wolters Kluwer. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 96:11, s. E1574-E1584
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To assess safety outcomes for the induction therapies alemtuzumab and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) compared to noninduction disease-modifying therapies.Methods We performed a population-based cohort study linking the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Register to national health care registers. Alemtuzumab, AHSCT, and a matched reference group of noninduction therapies (natalizumab, dimethyl fumarate, rituximab, fingolimod) were included if started between 2008 and 2017. Main outcomes were death, thyroid disease, nonthyroid autoimmune disease, and infection.Results We identified 132 alemtuzumab-treated and 139 AHSCT-treated (68% high-dose cyclo-phosphamide and anti-thymocyte globulin [ATG], 32% BCNU, etoposide, cytosine-arabinoside, and melphalan/ATG) patients, together with 2,486 matched patients treated with noninduction therapies. Four patients in the alemtuzumab group died (incidence rate [IR] per 1,000 person-years 8.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-22.0) compared to 1 patient in the AHSCT group (IR 1.7, 95% CI 0.0-9.6), and the mortality rate in the reference group was 0.7 (95% CI 0.3-1.3). Thyroid disease was most frequent in the alemtuzumab group (IR 109, 95% CI 75-154) but also occurred more often for AHSCT (IR 34, 95% CI 18-56) compared to the reference (IR 5.3 95% CI 3.9-7.1). The incidence of nonthyroid autoimmune disease was similar in all groups. IR for infection diagnosed >= 6 months from therapy initiation was 53 (95% CI 30-87) for alemtuzumab, 108 (95% CI 75-150) for AHSCT, and 51 (95% CI 46-57) for the reference.Conclusion We confirmed a high incidence of thyroid disease in alemtuzumab- and, to a smaller extent, AHSCT-treated patients and found a higher incidence of infection for AHSCT compared to both alemtuzumab and noninduction therapies. The incidence of nonthyroid autoimmune disease was low for both therapies.Classification of evidence This study provides Class III evidence of an increased risk of thyroid disease with alemtuzumab and an increased risk of infection with AHSCT treatment.
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| 5. |
- Alping, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Safety of Alemtuzumab and Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Compared to Noninduction Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis
- 2021
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Ingår i: Neurology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 96:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To assess safety outcomes for the induction therapies alemtuzumab and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) compared to noninduction disease-modifying therapies. Methods We performed a population-based cohort study linking the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Register to national health care registers. Alemtuzumab, AHSCT, and a matched reference group of noninduction therapies (natalizumab, dimethyl fumarate, rituximab, fingolimod) were included if started between 2008 and 2017. Main outcomes were death, thyroid disease, nonthyroid autoimmune disease, and infection. Results We identified 132 alemtuzumab-treated and 139 AHSCT-treated (68% high-dose cyclo-phosphamide and anti-thymocyte globulin [ATG], 32% BCNU, etoposide, cytosine-arabinoside, and melphalan/ATG) patients, together with 2,486 matched patients treated with noninduction therapies. Four patients in the alemtuzumab group died (incidence rate [IR] per 1,000 person-years 8.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-22.0) compared to 1 patient in the AHSCT group (IR 1.7, 95% CI 0.0-9.6), and the mortality rate in the reference group was 0.7 (95% CI 0.3-1.3). Thyroid disease was most frequent in the alemtuzumab group (IR 109, 95% CI 75-154) but also occurred more often for AHSCT (IR 34, 95% CI 18-56) compared to the reference (IR 5.3 95% CI 3.9-7.1). The incidence of nonthyroid autoimmune disease was similar in all groups. IR for infection diagnosed >= 6 months from therapy initiation was 53 (95% CI 30-87) for alemtuzumab, 108 (95% CI 75-150) for AHSCT, and 51 (95% CI 46-57) for the reference. Conclusion We confirmed a high incidence of thyroid disease in alemtuzumab- and, to a smaller extent, AHSCT-treated patients and found a higher incidence of infection for AHSCT compared to both alemtuzumab and noninduction therapies. The incidence of nonthyroid autoimmune disease was low for both therapies. Classification of evidence This study provides Class III evidence of an increased risk of thyroid disease with alemtuzumab and an increased risk of infection with AHSCT treatment.
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| 6. |
- Alping, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Validation of the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Register Further Improving a Resource for Pharmacoepidemiologic Evaluations
- 2019
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Ingår i: Epidemiology. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1044-3983 .- 1531-5487. ; 30:2, s. 230-233
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Register is a national register monitoring treatment and clinical course for all Swedish multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, with high coverage and close integration with the clinic. Despite its great value for epidemiologic research, it has not previously been validated. In this brief report, we summarize a large validation of >3,000 patients in the register using clinical chart review in the context of the COMBAT-MS study. While further improving the data quality for a central cohort of patients available for future epidemiologic research, this study also allowed us to estimate the accuracy and completeness of the register data.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Luna, Gustavo, et al.
(författare)
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Infection Risks Among Patients With Multiple Sclerosis Treated With Fingolimod, Natalizumab, Rituximab, and Injectable Therapies
- 2020
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Ingår i: JAMA Neurology. - : American Medial Association. - 2168-6149 .- 2168-6157. ; 177:2, s. 184-191
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Importance: Although highly effective disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) have been associated with an increased risk of infections vs injectable therapies interferon beta and glatiramer acetate (GA), the magnitude of potential risk increase is not well established in real-world populations. Even less is known about infection risk associated with rituximab, which is extensively used off-label to treat MS in Sweden.Objective: To examine the risk of serious infections associated with disease-modifying treatments for MS.Design, Setting, and Participants: This nationwide register-based cohort study was conducted in Sweden from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017. National registers with prospective data collection from the public health care system were used. All Swedish patients with relapsing-remitting MS whose data were recorded in the Swedish MS register as initiating treatment with rituximab, natalizumab, fingolimod, or interferon beta and GA and an age-matched and sex-matched general population comparator cohort were included.Exposures: Treatment with rituximab, natalizumab, fingolimod, and interferon beta and GA.Main Outcomes and Measures: Serious infections were defined as all infections resulting in hospitalization. Additional outcomes included outpatient treatment with antibiotic or herpes antiviral medications. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated in Cox regressions.Results: A total of 6421 patients (3260 taking rituximab, 1588 taking natalizumab, 1535 taking fingolimod, and 2217 taking interferon beta/GA) were included, plus a comparator cohort of 42 645 individuals. Among 6421 patients with 8600 treatment episodes, the mean (SD) age at treatment start ranged from 35.0 (10.1) years to 40.4 (10.6) years; 6186 patients were female. The crude rate of infections was higher in patients with MS taking interferon beta and GA than the general population (incidence rate, 8.9 [95% CI, 6.4-12.1] vs 5.2 [95% CI, 4.8-5.5] per 1000 person-years), and higher still in patients taking fingolimod (incidence rate, 14.3 [95% CI, 10.8-18.5] per 1000 person-years), natalizumab (incidence rate, 11.4 [95% CI, 8.3-15.3] per 1000 person-years), and rituximab (incidence rate, 19.7 [95% CI, 16.4-23.5] per 1000 person-years). After confounder adjustment, the rate remained significantly higher for rituximab (HR, 1.70 [95% CI, 1.11-2.61]) but not fingolimod (HR, 1.30 [95% CI, 0.84-2.03]) or natalizumab (HR, 1.12 [95% CI, 0.71-1.77]) compared with interferon beta and GA. In contrast, use of herpes antiviral drugs during rituximab treatment was similar to that of interferon beta and GA and lower than that of natalizumab (HR, 1.82 [1.34-2.46]) and fingolimod (HR, 1.71 [95% CI, 1.27-2.32]).Conclusions and Relevance: Patients with MS are at a generally increased risk of infections, and this differs by treatment. The rate of infections was lowest with interferon beta and GA; among newer treatments, off-label use of rituximab was associated with the highest rate of serious infections. The different risk profiles should inform the risk-benefit assessments of these treatments.
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| 9. |
- Persson, K. A., et al.
(författare)
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WCDMA radio-over-fibre transmission experiment using singlemode VCSEL and multimode fibre
- 2006
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Ingår i: Electronics Letters. - : Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). - 1350-911X .- 0013-5194. ; 42:6, s. 372-374
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A high-performance singlemode VCSEL developed for analogue applications has been evaluated for use in a radio-over-fibre link for WCDMA in-building distributed antenna systems. The experiment showed penalty-free transmission over a wide range of input RF powers. The ACLR limited the downlink input RF power to less than -13dBm.
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| 10. |
- Piehl, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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COMBAT-MS : A Population-Based Observational Cohort Study Addressing the Benefit-Risk Balance of Multiple Sclerosis Therapies Compared with Rituximab
- 2024
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Ingår i: Annals of Neurology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0364-5134 .- 1531-8249.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To assess comparative effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of off-label rituximab, compared with frequently used therapies approved for multiple sclerosis (MS).METHODS: A Swedish cohort study of persons with relapsing-remitting MS, age 18 to 75 years at inclusion and with a first therapy start or a first therapy switch between 2011 and 2018. Low-dose rituximab was compared with MS-approved therapies. Primary outcomes were proportions with 12 months confirmed disability worsening and change in MS Impact Scale-29 (MSIS-29) scores, respectively. Secondary endpoints included relapses, therapy discontinuation, and serious adverse events. Analyses used an intention-to-treat approach and were adjusted for demographics, MS features, and health characteristics.RESULTS: We included 2,449 participants as first therapy start and 2,463 as first therapy switch. Proportions with disability worsening at 3 years were 9.1% for rituximab as first therapy and 5.1% after therapy switch, with no differences to MS-approved comparators. Worsening on rituximab was mostly independent of relapses. MSIS-29 with rituximab at 3 years improved by 1.3/8.4 points (physical/psychological) for first disease-modifying therapy (DMT) and 0.4/3.6 for DMT switch, and was mostly similar across therapies. Rituximab had lower relapse rates and higher therapy persistence in both groups. The rate of hospital-treated infections was higher with rituximab after a therapy switch, but not as a first therapy.INTERPRETATION: This population-based real-world cohort study found low rates of disability progression, mostly independent of relapses, and without significant differences between rituximab and MS-approved comparators. Rituximab led to lower rates of inflammatory activity and higher treatment persistence, but was associated with an increased rate of serious infections. ANN NEUROL 2024.
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